As less invasive medical techniques and procedures become more widespread, medical professionals, such as surgeons, may require articulating surgical tools, such as endoscopes, to perform such less invasive medical techniques and procedures that access interior regions of the body via a body orifice such as the mouth. A mouth retractor is typically used to hold the mouth open, and to retract the tongue, lips, and cheeks so that the throat, and interior regions proximal to the throat, can be accessed by a surgical tool.